The present invention relates generally to a bed covering system, an improved process of manufacturing, and a bed covering product made from that process, plus accessories and attachments, that may quickly and efficiently be applied to a bed with minimum physical or cognitive effort.
Manufacturing of bed covers predominantly utilize manual assembly and labor. Automated assembly of a bedding system with multiple panels is limited. There is a need for an improvement in the manufacturing of a multi-panel bed covering. More particularly, the need exists in reducing steps and automation of assembly of a multi-panel bed cover either utilizing sequential steps, or alternatively using multi-processing and multi-threading steps running concurrently. As a result, there is a need for an automated manufacturing process where steps can be scheduled by a computer running instructions placed in its queue to operate cutting, assembling and sewing machines in order to make a multi-panel bed covering product. As a result, there is a long felt need for a process of manufacturing a multi-panel bed covering system and product that minimizes the steps, required materials, and amount of time to make the product.
The bed covering system of the present invention relates to any mattress style bed (with or without a box spring) in a quick, efficient and neat manner. The bedding system allows the user to quickly and easily make a bed in its entirety (sheets, blankets, comforters and pillow(s), placed, balanced and taught), in a repeatable manner using a one or two “zip” process regardless of the users' age, physical restrictions and/or lack of regard to detail.
The system described also adds the safety feature of preventing a child, elderly, convalescent or hospitalized person from falling out of bed once swaddled or tucked in via the “zipper” or fasteners. If unsecured by the zipper, the new bedding system's pocketed design will cradle the fall so that the child and/or adult is less likely to be harmed if they were to fall off of the mattress. The expandable pocket will act as a sling or harness to catch the user falling from the mattress. While the user(s) is sleeping, the described bedding will prevent displacement or removal of the bed linens and pillow(s).
The described system may also provide an attached pocketed organizer for the user's personal items (i.e.: glasses, book, remote control, cell phone, etc.), an opened area for exiting one leg or foot out from under the bedding if desired and vented area(s) in order to cool off without removing the covers.
As is well known, various types of bed coverings such as sheets, blankets and comforters have been used for ages. Generally a lower sheet is applied to the mattress. The lower sheet can be flat and tucked around the mattress or “fitted” to the mattress. An upper sheet is then applied by tucking it around the mattress which is now covered with the lower sheet. After this, a blanket or blankets are positioned over, and then tucked around the sheet covered mattress and the comforter or top covering is then positioned on top of the entire assembly, usually by neatly draping it over the assembly.
The main problems with the typical bedding described above are that the various pieces (i) are time consuming to apply and reapply correctly, (ii) require substantial work, often strenuous to back muscles, to apply and remake correctly, (iii) easily come undone from the bed (i.e.: if sat on, jumped on, slept in or via any other disturbance), (iv) are difficult to position correctly and keep neat, and (v) often require repeated access to various parts of the bed to position. Various attempted improvements have been suggested. In this regard, please refer to U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,018 to McClam; U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,285 to Burch; U.S. Pat. No. 5,884,349 to Gretsinger; U.S. Pat. No. 6,427,266 to Talley-Williams; U.S. Pat. No. 6,490,741 to Wheeler; U.S. Pat. No. 6,502,285 to Kiely; U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,197 to Madigan; U.S. Pat. No. 7,849,534 to Campbell; and published application WO 2007/0232256 A1 to Thompson. While these suggested improvements claim to solve some of the foregoing problems, none of them effectively address all of the issues and as a result they have not met with substantial commercial success.
Thus the bed covering system, improved process of manufacturing, and bed covering product made from that process, proposed by this invention resolves the issues that have arisen from the making of, sleeping in, washing, and reapplying as well as resolving the absence of any safety features that target various at risk groups mentioned above of existing bedding systems. In doing so the proposed invention significantly departs from conventional concepts and designs for bedding and is designed to assist the user(s) in quickly, efficiently and neatly securing the bedding materials to the bed, in an aesthetic manner with little likelihood of disturbing the finished aesthetics without the user choosing to do so.